Al Gardner Leaving WBT

[DToTheJ]

Next stop: his hometown of Philadelphia, where Merlin Media (Randy Michaels) will be setting up shop at the FM station formerly owned by Harold "The Rapture Is Coming" Camping, with an all-news format. Gardner will be named vice president of programming - and perhaps maybe an on-air shift.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/12/09/2838484/wbt-losing-voice-of-al-gardner.html

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Next stop: his hometown of Philadelphia, where Merlin Media (Randy Michaels) will be setting up shop at the FM station formerly owned by Harold "The Rapture Is Coming" Camping, with an all-news format. Gardner will be named vice president of programming - and perhaps maybe an on-air shift.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/12/09/2838484/wbt-losing-voice-of-al-gardner.html

They must be paying him a boat load of money. I don't know if there is enough money in the world to get me to work with Randy Michaels if only half the stories I've heard about him are true. Maybe Al is just tired of getting up early?

 

[Hoosierky]

If this is the same Alan Gardner that was on WLW with Randy Michaels in the 80's, then Gardner know Michaels. On the air, they had great chemistry.

 

[del_griffith]

If this is the same Alan Gardner that was on WLW with Randy Michaels in the 80's, then Gardner know Michaels. On the air, they had great chemistry.

I believe it is, and yes there was magic when they were on the show together.

 

[eacalhoun1]

Here's part of a post I saw under the Charlotte Observer article:

Bring back the WBT before Rick Jackson, GM ruined it. The best of Charlotte radio existed when it was all local and all sides were represented. I look forward to the day when I can dust off my 1110AM dial and hear local programming with truly great DJ host like HA Thompson, Ray Gooding, Don Russell, Bob Lacey, John Hancock and above all Henry Boggan.

I had always heard Randall Bloomquist did the most damage during his stint at WBT ???

Eric

 

[yugoidar]

Congratulations to Al! He's done a pretty good job over the years for WBT. Yes, he will be reunited with his old Cincinnati buddy, Randy Michaels. I wonder if he'll become ALAN Gardner again.

I guess politics and radio make for strange bedfellows, Mike. Al certainly seems to have a different "moral compass" than Mr. Michaels.

So Jim Szoke's the man. I know he's been on in the mornings before, but he certainly doesn't strike me as the lead man that Gardner is/was.

Curious. I wonder how well Program Director Carl East is sleeping these days.

 

[Laurence Glavin]

I live north of Boston, and occasionally in the late fall and winter, I check up on an AM station up here on 1110 that seems to sign on "early", WCCM, Salem, NH. So on occasions I've heard Mr. Gardner and he seemed to have been well-suited to his role at WBT. I'm going to guess that he's squirreled away mucho dinero already and will probably get a nice retirement package from WBT. Something tells me (the low ratings for the Merlin stations in Chicago and NYC) that he might not have a long career in Philadelphia.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Here's part of a post I saw under the Charlotte Observer article:

Bring back the WBT before Rick Jackson, GM ruined it. The best of Charlotte radio existed when it was all local and all sides were represented. I look forward to the day when I can dust off my 1110AM dial and hear local programming with truly great DJ host like HA Thompson, Ray Gooding, Don Russell, Bob Lacey, John Hancock and above all Henry Boggan.

I had always heard Randall Bloomquist did the most damage during his stint at WBT ???

Eric

I can safely say those days are over. WBT will never be like that again.

 

[tylerSC]

John Hancock is the last remaining holdout from the old WBT, although ironically he somewhat transitioned the change to today's WBT when he originally replaced H.A. Thompson. But Henry Boggan will always remain my favorite radio personality. He could discuss both sides of a political issue without the negativity and divisiveness that is prevalent today.